Good point.
I wonder if there was a bit of “let’s see if they an work this out”
The answer is “no”
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I think that’s exactly what it was. Just like the Brisbane game when Woosha challenged the team to work through it rather than put extra players around the ball for support.
You can’t teach for situations until you know the starting point. Now we do.
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So did I. I was worried for Hurls though. That golf ball on his head must be hurting.
That was a long time ago and before the worst time in our history ever. After yesterday I’ve decided not to ■■■■ can any other teams after the way we played. God help us in 2017 if this is a real wet winter.
Carlton actually beating us, really beating us, they kept us in the game only because they couldn’t kick straight.
BWAS Although Bird is is not rated by the Blitz, I think we need an extra hard in and under player. He showed he was just that on the weekend in the VFL
Also the team needs to train in the rain when ever we get the chance and .the team needs to develop a wet day game plan. ( which they seemed to be “learning” for the first time yesterday)
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For me the very definition of “Essington” is “I got my hopes up that we were past this”. We are not.
You can frame this season in a vacuum as “just one loss” but you must know deep down yesterday was the clearest signal that this is yet another 12-14 finish on the ladder year. Not a chance at the finals.
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Its not the end of the world folks. Yesterday’s rain-fest brought us down to Carlton’s skill level and their speed. They wanted to win more than us and that got them over the line. We couldn’t adapt to a slow speed game. Our fast runners like Tippa, Raz and Coyler were ineffective in those conditions as they were slipping and sliding more than most. That was probably a once in a season weather event coinciding with one of our fixtured games so I’m not too worried. I think the team will learn and be better for it from this experience. Moreover the coaches will also be better for it as I think it was lost from the coaching box. We shall all be better and stronger from this. Go Bombers!
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I have said all along we are an 8 -14 side this year, depending on a variety of factors. Anyone who thinks we are a real danger to the top of the tree this year, or even next, is off with the faires for mine. This year we get a look at what we have, and what we need, and start the climb. Next year I would hope to either make the 8, or displace Ninthmond from their traditional spot, and the year after start a serious run for the top.
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2009 is a long time ago? FFS, someone said we haven’t been able to play in the wet since WW2!!!
Regarding the possibility 2017 could be a wet winter, can we attribute this to climate change? Might change Tripper’s opinion on the subject. Who knows, might even give him common ground to rationally discuss the issue :offtopic:
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You had better do some serious praying, we don’t have a dirty wet winter.
By the way, did you have a good look at the scoreboard, Carlton kept us in the game because they didn’t kick straight. Otherwise, we could have been well and truly thrashed. One game, I know, reset and come back next week. Adelaide are playing some good footy we will want to be on our game.
We did NOT have a plan B. We could not even rise to their level.
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Sure a lot of folk are disappointed and yesterday we did not adapt to the conditions as well as Carlton.
We will play 9 games at Etihad. under cover this year. But this does not mean we dont need to develop a wet day game plan and train the players in the rain in case any of the 10 other games happen to be in the rain.
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I reckon we need to find some more inside midfield quality and depth if we are to make any real concerted surge up the ladder post Jobe, Goddard and a couple of other loyal servants.
Can Langford and Laverde really fill that void adequately? We don’t really know. It is obviously too early to know if Clarke and a couple of the draftees can help out here.
Parish, Heppell and Zerrett all have some inside capability and they are a decent platform to build around in there but I reckon we have a bit of work to do in this area. Hopefully we can actually attract a decent mid across at some point in the next couple of years but even pre saga we haven’t been great at trading for an A grader.
I think the results of the previous round and this round put our abilities into perspective.
We were all very excited with the win over the Hawks. And rightly so. We were also somewhat satisfied with the win over Brisbane.
However now that we are three weeks in, a clearer picture of where we sit is starting to emerge.
The 2nd half of the 1st quarter and the the 2nd quarter of the Hawks game showed up weaknesses. Yes, we were able to re-group and grind out a comfortable win, but the recent performances of the Hawks shows that that wasn’t much of an achievement.
Add in the ‘only just’ performance against the lowly Brisbane - especially that 3rd quarter. Then add in yesterday’s debacle against. the even more lowly Carlton and you start to get the picture that we aren’t much of a team.
I can’t see us winning next week - short break after a taxing game, in Adelaide against a pretty good side.
Both us and the Pies will be well rested for ANZAC Day. Their midfield will ■■■■ all over ours.
Then a 5 day break to the Melbourne game.
We then have Freo (away), Geel, WC, Rich, GWS. No gimmies there.
I originally had us finishing 7-12. From what I have seen so far this year - of us and other teams - I can’t see us being above 10th come the end of the year. Maybe 6 more wins for the year.
I really hope JW coaching didn’t come down to “let’s see if they can work this out”! Just as I don’t like hearing the ‘lack of chemistry’ excuse. If so they are highly overpaid.
We played ■■■■ wet weather footy and lost to a team who played better in the conditions.
I can’t believe that with all those experienced coaches none of them instructed the players to play in front and keep pushing the ball forward.
Can only assume the players were unable to follow instructions… Maybe the returning players were feeling it a bit, after the emotion of the 1st game and then a tough interstate game last w/end. It was an enormous effort last week to fight back and get the win…Maybe for the older players it took a bit of a toll.
Based on what? The facts are that by 2019 we will almost certainly be without Watson, Goddard, Stanton, Baguley, Kelly & Hocking. I’m just not seeing how we are going to replace that talent & experience. Our list right now should be well placed to have a crack at the top 8. We’ve been in this 5 year plan for a long time already.
If that’s true, then why did we keep Kelly? Seems odd if we don’t think finals are a strong chance.
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Way to many soft blokes who didn’t want to do the hard simple things. Fantasia and zackararkis soft as butter. Stupid uncomposed hack kicks fwd. Must bend over and put your body behind the ball when wet not kick off ground or run over the top.
Tried to play dry weather footy on a wet as fark day. AFL footballers should not have to be told such basic stuff.
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Woosha is right on lack of chemistry/cohesion.
Look at the ruck-midfield combinations yesterday:
Carlton - Kreuzer, Murphy, Gibbs (all #1 picks) have probably about 150 games+ together
Esendon - Leuy, Watson, Zac Merrett player their first game together yesterday.
In really extreme conditions that 149 games+ of “cohesive” experience Carlton’s trio had over ours does make a difference.
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Had nothing to do with as far as I am concerned